Title IX at the CIA

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment, in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and other federal, state, and local laws. The CIA does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, or any other protected group or classification under federal or state laws. These principles also apply to admissions, financial aid, academic matters, career services, counseling, housing, employment policies, scholarship programs, medical services, and all other programs and activities available at the CIA.

The Culinary Institute of America, pursuant to Title IX, Title VII, and state laws also prohibits sexual harassment, which includes alleged incidents of sexual assault or other sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking in accordance with Title VII, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, and the Campus SaVE Act, as well as Article 129-B of the New York Education Law (New York) and Section 67836 of the California Education Code (California).

What is Title IX?

Although Title IX is commonly associated with sex-based discrimination in athletics, the law is much broader. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that provides:

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in all college programs and activities, including, but not limited to, admissions, recruiting, financial aid, academic programs, student services, counseling and guidance, discipline, class assignment, grading, recreation, athletics, housing, and employment. Sexual harassment and sexual violence are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. Title IX also prohibits retaliation against people for making or participating in complaints of sex discrimination.

Who is the Title IX coordinator?

The senior director—faculty relations is designated as the Title IX coordinator and Age Discrimination Act coordinator for the CIA. Complaints, including the procedure for filing a complaint, regarding the nondiscrimination statement and the CIA’s compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and other federal, state, and local laws, may be directed to the following Civil Rights Compliance Officers:

The Title IX coordinator is responsible for coordinating compliance with the above applicable laws and regulations and has been charged with managing the CIA’s response to reports of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking when those reports involve members or visitors to the CIA community. Informed by current federal law and guidance, the coordinator aims to ensure that the CIA’s responses promptly and effectively stop problem behavior, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects.

The Title IX coordinator’s responsibilities include:

Overseeing the college’s response to sexual misconduct to ensure prompt and equitable resolution of all complaints.

Providing a central place to report an incident and overseeing the reporting process.

Providing information about college policies and procedures.

Providing referrals to campus and community resources and victim advocates.

Facilitating accommodations to address safety concerns and to support victims and complainants so that academic and professional pursuits may continue unimpeded.

Collaborating with community partners to assist with a resolution that balances the needs of the individuals involved with those of the larger community.

Keeping records to ensure patterns of behavior are identified.

Overseeing investigations of misconduct to ensure fairness, impartiality, and equity.

Coordinating and providing training, education, and prevention programs for the entire CIA community.

How do I report a complaint?

All complainants (students, faculty, or staff) should complete the following steps when formally reporting an incident of harassment or discrimination:

Submit a formal complaint, in writing, including:

The complainant’s name and all contact information.

The description of the alleged incident(s) or behavior, who specifically was involved, when and where it occurred, and the desired remedy sought. As much detail as possible should be provided regarding the incident, such as who, what, when, where, why, and how.

A brief outline and description of all informal efforts, if any, to resolve the issue(s) with the individual(s) involved and/or that individual’s supervisor. This includes names, dates and times of attempted or actual contact, along with a description of the discussion and the manner of communication made in the course of each effort. If contacting the individual(s) involved and/or their supervisor is impracticable or inappropriate, the complainant should state the reasons why.

All complaints should be signed by the complainant.

Provide, if possible, any supporting documentation and evidence of the incident(s) or behavior that are immediately available. These items should be referenced within the body of the formal complaint.

Submit any additional supporting materials as quickly as is possible.

Any guest, visitor, or third parties who wish to file a complaint for violations of this policy may contact the CIA’s Title IX and Age Discrimination Act coordinator or the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.

The CIA has an obligation to investigate any complaint of harassment or discrimination that is reported.

Reporting a complaint using the CIA hotline

The CIA also provides employees, students, or third parties with the opportunity to report incidents or issues of concern through its CIA hotline reporting service. The hotline may be accessed by telephone, toll free, at 1-855-373-5906 or via the web. Both are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This service is managed by an independent firm called The Network, which handles all reports made on a confidential basis. Issues received over this hotline system will be investigated and/or relayed to appropriate individuals within the CIA for handling or resolution.

Please note that an emergency situation where a staff and/or faculty member is a risk of harm to self or others must be reported immediately to 911 or directly to CIA Campus Safety. This reporting service is not a substitute for 911 or Campus Safety reporting options.

Never allow yourself to be lured away from your property by a stranger.

Bystander Intervention Tips

We encourage all members of the CIA community to be Active Bystanders against sexual violence. The following information is based on Bystander Intervention research being done at the University of New Hampshire and the guidelines developed by UNH. Learn to recognize the signs of danger and develop plans to keep each other safe. Commit to being an Active Bystander.

Some simple steps to becoming an Active Bystander

Notice the situation. Be aware of your surroundings.

Interpret it as a problem. Do I recognize that someone needs help?

Feel responsible to act. See yourself as being part of the solution to help.

Know what to do. Educate yourself on what to do.

Intervene safely. Take action but be sure to keep yourself safe.

How to Intervene Safely

Tell another person. Being with others is a good idea when a situation looks dangerous.

Ask a person you are worried about if they are okay. Provide options and a listening ear.

Distract or redirect individuals in unsafe situations.

Ask the person if they want to leave. Make sure that they get home safely.

Call the police (911) or someone else in authority or yell for help.

What can my friends and I do to be safe?

Take care of each other. Remember these tips when you are out...

Have a plan.
Talk with your friends about your plans BEFORE you go out. Do you feel like drinking? Are you interested in hooking up? Where do you want to go? Having a clear plan ahead of time helps friends look after one another.

Go out together.
Go out as a group and come home as a group; never separate and never leave your friend(s) behind.

Watch out for others.
If you are walking at night with friends and notice a woman walking by herself in the same direction, ask her to join you so she doesn’t have to walk alone.

Diffuse situations.
If you see a friend coming on too strong to someone who may be too drunk to make a consensual decision, interrupt, distract, or redirect the situation. If you are too embarrassed or shy to speak out, get someone else to step in.

Trust your instincts.
If a situation or person doesn’t seem “right” to you, trust your gut and remove yourself, if possible, from the situation.

Help a Friend

It’s not easy to know what to say when someone tells you they’ve been sexually assaulted, especially if that person is a friend, family member, or loved one. If someone you know within the CIA community has experienced sexual misconduct, we can help you help them.

Sometimes, the most valuable advice comes from someone the individual already trusts. Whether you’re a roommate, parent, or concerned member of our faculty or staff, we can point you to resources you can share, as well as provide support for you.

1. Listen

Confirm the person’s safety. Ask the survivor, “Are you safe right now?” If they say no, help them create a plan to get to a safe place. Call 911 if necessary.

Provide nonjudgmental support. Your role is not to determine whether or not something occurred. Your primary responsibility is to remain supportive of the survivor, while referring the person to others who are trained in providing assistance and/or intervening.

2. Refer

Help the person get medical care if needed.

Help the person consider whether to make a report with the police or with the University.

Let the person know who at the CIA they can contact to request protective measures and accommodations such as no-contact directives, housing relocation, adjustment of schedules, time off, etc.

3. Report, as required

All CIA employees, including student employees, are required to report incidents of sexual misconduct, unless they are confidential counselors.

If you are required to report the incident, explain your reporting responsibilities to the person who has disclosed the information to you.

If the incident involves alleged sexual misconduct by a faculty member, staff member, student, or a third party, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Joe Morano, at 845-451-1314, or j_morano@culinary.edu.

Dos and Don'ts

While you are not expected to act as a counselor, when you are with someone who has experienced sexual misconduct, you should be aware that the supportiveness of your response can be critical in the healing process. Though there is no one “right” way to respond, the following may serve as a guide identifying more or less helpful responses:

Do

Give the survivor your complete attention.

Validate the survivor’s feelings.

Tell the survivor:

“I believe you.”

“This was not your fault.”

“You have options.”

“Thank you for coming forward.”

Offer the survivor options:

To sit or stand.

To share more or be silent.

To call referral agencies or not, or to have you call.

Ask the survivor what they need.

Remind the survivor that they are not alone, that other people of all genders have experienced sexual misconduct.

Provide the survivor with information about the on-campus (PDF) and off-campus (PDF) resources available to them, including confidential counseling, medical resources and reporting resources.

Report the incident to Title IX Coordinator if you are a CIA employee. Check out the Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Discrimination (HSMD) Policy for more information on reporting an incident (PDF).

Take care of yourself after dealing with the situation. Get support for yourself if you need it. Consider speaking with a confidential counselor.

Don’t

Tell the survivor that you know what they are going through.

Label the experience for the survivor or make any legal conclusions.

Minimize the survivor’s experience (e.g. that’s just how that person is.)

Tell the survivor what they should do or make decisions for them.

Ask the survivor questions that suggest they are to blame (e.g. What were you drinking? What were you wearing? Why didn’t you run? What were you doing in that place?)

Question whether the survivor is telling the truth or show doubt about their story.

Tell the survivor that they need some proof or evidence.

Touch the survivor’s leg, shoulder, hand, etc. unless they have explicitly told you that it is okay to do so.

Talk about your own issues or history.

Guarantee complete confidentiality, particularly if you are a college employee with a reporting obligation.